This weekend, protesters from all over the United States will converge on Washington, D.C. to show support for persecuted Christians around the world.

On Saturday, the March for the Martyrs will take place for the third time. The event was held in Southern California in 2021 to continue bringing attention to the issue of the persecuted Church.

Showing Solidarity, Issue of Persecuted Church Thru 'March for the Martyrs'

Over 360 million Christians may live in regions where they are subject to severe persecution and prejudice because of their faith. As persecution of Christians worsens in places like Afghanistan, North Korea, and Nigeria, that figure has risen by 20 million in the past year.

According to The Christian Post, Gia Chacon, the founder of the For the Martyrs, thinks this is an important problem for human rights and wants to make it more visible. 

She argued that the persecution of Christians constitutes a human rights problem that requires the same attention as any other such crisis. 

The fact that they are Christians, however, makes this a problem that can only be solved within the Church.

Chacon is of the opinion that not only should people in the United States pray for an end to the "human rights crisis," but they should also speak out in support of churches that are being persecuted around the world.

According to Chacon, the Christians who are being persecuted around the world have stated their greatest desire to have their Christian brothers and sisters all over the world pray for them and speak up on their behalf. 

On Saturday, Chacon anticipates that there will be between 500 and 1,000 individuals participating in the march.

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Drawing Powerful Voices Together to Speak for Persecuted Christians

Enes Kanter Freedom, a former NBA player turned human rights activist, will be one of several speakers at the event. 

Others include David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA; Esther Zang, a survivor of persecution in China; and Andrew Brunson, a pastor who spent two years in a Turkish political prison.

According to Religion News Service, David Curry, Open Doors USA CEO, said that because of their trust in Jesus, millions of their brothers and sisters all over the world are subject to persecution, including bodily harm and even the threat of death. 

Curry expressed delight at the prospect of collaborating with Gia and March for the Martyrs to pray for and advocate on behalf of individuals who are enduring persecution because of their faith in Christ.

About March for the Martyrs

Hundreds of Christians from various Christian denominations marched together in solidarity with persecuted Christians on September 5, 2020, in what would go down in history as the March for the Martyrs. 

According to For the Martyrs, despite the fact that Christians face more persecution than any other religious group, this topic is routinely overlooked even within their own religious communities. 

For the organization, that is the reason why they are working to hold March for the Martyrs events all around the country, bringing the issue of Christian persecution to the center of the fight for human rights.

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